Category: Survival Mindset

Killing, Dying, and Death – Part I, by M.H.

This article will be on something that is rarely talked about but nevertheless is a fact of life and certainly a major fact in a TEOTWAWKI type situation. It’s the combat mindset of killing, dying, and death. This includes getting a handle on killing bad people; you dying; your wife, husband, or kids dying; and the fear of death. Most importantly, it also includes the fear of killing. It will hopefully shatter all the theories and misconceptions people have from Hollywood, or from “experts” who have never killed or risked being killed. While not particularly thought of as a skill …


Three Letters Re: Prepping with an Unsupportive Spouse

Hugh, I appreciate this discussion, but it also frustrates me, because the head of my household thinks preparing beyond a few day’s worth is all hype and hysteria. I have put up a number of provisions but am unable to make many of the prudent improvements to our home for physical and energy security. I take my vows seriously, but this tears at me because I know we will likely suffer needlessly when, not if, it all comes apart. (Money is not an issue for us.) I would truly appreciate your wisdom on this “opposite” issue that I’ve never seen …


Why Trying To Start A Garden Now May Be A Little Too Late For TEOTWAWKI, by BPW

Here’s a little about myself. I work in law enforcement. I grew up in suburbia, was a Marine and outdoorsy person, yet I have never really, truly gardened. I can’t. I work full time and own a home (in a development). I have two children, who run me all over the place, and I have never had a green thumb. I do hunt, and I do that well. So, I figured how hard is planting some seeds in the ground and growing some vegetables. Well, my experience woke me up and am I glad that it did, because had I …


The Fashionably Late Prepper, by G.S.

This article is meant to be read in the future by those visiting this blog on the day after TSHTF. This is for the person who only has access to the basic supplies anyone might have laying around the house. Regular visitors to this blog will ask why I did not recommend using a Berkey water filter (www.berkeyfilters.com) to purify water. It is too late now to get one. This is for the man or woman who just did a google search (because they don’t know about IXQUICK) on how to handle the global economic crisis or what to do …


Letter Re: Prepping with an Unsupportive Spouse

Dear Hugh, I enjoyed this article and several others that I have seen regarding this subject. However, it is rare that you see this subject discussed in reverse. I (the wife) am the prepper and the Christian in our home. My husband thinks I’m crazy. I have a small pantry, a small supply of gadgets and supplies, and have learned to can. I would like to do more with this, but my husband is already disgusted with all the space I have taken up. There are so many things that still need to be done, but many of them require …


Letter Re: Frustrations of Prepping with an Unsupportive Spouse

Hugh, Thanks to the author for sharing such a personal experience that a lesser man would not own up to. I think it is important for both husbands and wives to feel that they are one flesh called by God to work together for His plan in their lives and their community. There is no physical preparation that can overcome a lack of unity in marriage. A dictator is not a good leader, and often spouses feel unsupported when they make unilateral decisions without considering the demands and strains it will place on the family. If you believe that a …


Have You Started Getting Ready for Hard Times?, by L.S.

When Paul Revere’s alarm, “The Redcoats are coming!”, was sounded through the countryside centuries ago, it was made to people who were prepared to meet a challenge. Whether the coming challenge in our present day is one of economics or something else, will you be prepared to respond when the alarm is sounded? Here are some ideas you should consider as you get started in your preparations for whatever hard times might await: Food Will you have enough food? Go down to Costco and buy a 50-lb bag of rice. It’s inexpensive, stores well, and can go a long way. …


How to Plan for Survival on a Small Budget, by N.G.

It’s no secret that being prepared takes time and money. These days, with the questionable economy, most people believe that they have to win the lottery or inherit a small fortune to begin preparing for an unforeseen disaster. Since I am married to a wife who is a full-time student and we have a small child and combined income of thirty thousand dollars per year, I also thought it was impossible to get started. However, whether it be supplies, equipment, training, or home modifications, anyone can get started just by starting on a smaller scale. The key is to minimize …


Our Struggle With Survivalism, by R.B.

This is an honest attempt to put into writing the struggle my family and I have with the issues surrounding our involvement in survivalism and the potential of a societal collapse that may or may not occur within our lifetime. I am doing this because I tend to think more clearly if I put my thoughts into writing, and that forces me to be a bit more precise in my thinking. Additionally, perhaps others like me are struggling with the same life-changing decisions and may find my thoughts helpful. Obviously, the first issue to deal with is whether or not …


Two Letters Re: Justifying Preparation

Hugh: Here in Georgia, a hurricane right up the middle puts power lines in the road and shuts down traffic for a minimum of 30 days. Evidence of that result can be found in the Connecticut Governor’s response to Hurricane Sandy, which was to shut down all state highways. There was no traffic and no grocery store resupply. Counting on FEMA to show up in three days is foolish. In the aftermath of Katrina, it was churches that carried the day rather than FEMA. My family up in New Jersey during Sandy was at the end of their rope after …


Letter Re: Arming Your Neighborhood in a World Gone Feral

While we all agree with parts of this writer’s defensive philosophy and parts of all articles written for publication here, we, as a prepping community, have to apply our own skill assessment tools to what we believe is the best method for ourselves. My own life experience parallels JWR and others, and I make my own assessments having lived all over this county in my 65 years of God-endowed life. My credo has been formed and reformed by those life experiences. I enjoy reading all of the published, submitted articles to SurvivalBlog and that several of my own. As we …


Letter Re: Arming Your Neighborhood in a World Gone Feral

Hello, While I agree with a lot of what was written, I strongly object to the writer’s defensive philosophy. He’s taking a modern strategic approach and applying it to SHTF firefight scenarios. In my opinion they are not similar. In small unit combat, the attacker has the advantage. The attacker can choose the time, the place, and if the defenders are dug-in and cannot pursue (counterattack), the attacker can choose when and under what circumstances to withdraw. If it’s going poorly they can withdraw and regroup for the next try. In short, the only scenario in which the defender wins …


Preparedness and Practice… RV Style, by A.S.

A few years ago two different activities came into the life of my family. First, we started prepping. We began the process of preparing ourselves, physically and mentally, for whatever potential disaster we might face in the future. Second, we purchased a camper and started taking regular weekend camping trips during the summer. Sometimes these trips were three-day weekends, and a couple times per year these trips are extended to four-day weekends or an entire week vacation. The topic of “practicing your plan” and being familiar with your supplies and equipment has been covered many times. It occurred to me …


Letter Re: Storage Without a Basement

Hi, Mr. Hugh! I live in the hot, HUMID, deep South and have a couple of things to add to the conversation. 1) If you have a spring, dig it out and box it in with cypress wood or some other wood that should last in water. We did that back in ’75, and added shelving on the inside of the box, at just under water level. Our spring water is very cold and should keep milk and milk products nice and cool. I have to admit that we’ve never had to use it for that; we just pump the …


Two Letters Re: So You Think Starting a Garden Will Be Easy After TEOTWAWKI

Onions are a winter crop, which speaks to planting for three seasons or even four. I am working on soil quality, as that would be hard for a looter to carry off, and I am working on it in more than one place with double digging and nitrogen-fixing cover crops like clover, black-eyed peas, buckwheat, and vetch. He mentioned 100 jars of food. I figured out that I need 400 jars (pint) for my family of six (grandma, husband, wife, and three children). I am using pints, because you can always open two; keeping half of a larger jar is …